Job Discussion Forums

[eek]

Advice please. (i did a search but nothing on this particular question, so would be grateful for your time and advice)

Arghh!! so.. CELTA in Bangkok, Phuket, or Chaing Mai???

I understand Ill be working very hard on the course, thus will have little time for sightseeing etc, what i wish to work out is where to be based on: a nice place to be while studying, affordable (whever that means. I guess i mean good value for money, not living in a hole), someplace that when i do allow myself a little time off studying that is relaxing, enjoyable and not TOooo intimidating.

Im really torn. Ive done so much research on all three places and im still lost. Bangkok is obviously popular and exciting but i wonder if it will feel like chaos to me, when i need to relax and focus. Phuket seems like it could be slower paced and condusive to offering me an opportunity to chill out (?). Chaing Mai seems to be so much less populated than Bangkok (although still busy) and a slightly cooler temperature than the south. (is chaing mai as polluted as bangkok?)

I know i have to just get out there and go for it, but i wish to go for it with a feeling that i am in a good place for a least that initial month/six weeks.

Everytime i find myself leaning towards one place..something else makes me lean towards the other.

Any tips, advice, suggestions would be great. I would particularly appreciate a reason why you think one place is better than the other and also any good suggestions on where to live (if that isnt asking too much on top of everything else :S).

Pls help guys!

p.s: i am also stuggling a bit with knowing if i should do talk and text or celta or one of the other courses (as celta does not seem to prepare you for the childrens classes). I know this is a lot of advice to ask for and Im probably coming across as a tad pathetic. Its just that im getting the jitters now as its becoming so real. Im only nervous because I have no final concrete decision in place. Want to put my mind at ease!

[Sgt Killjoy]

Phuket is expensive. Chiang Mai is less expensive. If I was making the choice, I would choose Chiang Mai over the other Phuket and Bangkok.

[laben18]

Take a deep breath.

Bangkok of course. Chiang Mai and Phuket are cool but will get really boring after a week or so.

[eek]

hehe conflicting.

At least it rules out Phuket

ty.

*taking deep breaths*

Anymore tips?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello eek



Chiang Mai is definitely the nicer environment,

but you might not be able to enjoy it much

due to the intensive nature of the course.


a few additional points in favour of Bangkok:


The CELTA at ECC Bangkok is a well-known commodity;

people recommend it on this and other forums often.



fyi - there are now 3 CELTA course providers in Bangkok:



http://www.eccthai.com/training.asp (ECC Thailand / CELTA)

http://www.ihbangkok.com/teachertraining.html (International House)

http://www.eliteinstitute.com/teacherTraining.asp (Elite Training Institute)



The Text-and-Talk course is also highly regarded, less expensive

- and they offer job placement assistance & other little perks.


Because of its worldwide recognition,

CELTA may be the better choice, especially if

you're planning to make TEFL a permanent career.


If you're thinking about teaching for a couple years,

one is as good as the other, and you'd probably

have more fun with the Text-and-Talk course

since it's not quite as rigorous as the CELTA.

i.e., it's more practical than theoretical.



When it comes to the 'post cert period' - Bangkok wins again

with regard to the sheer number of TEFL positions on offer

and the higher earning potential in Thailand's capital city.





Hope that helps a little?










. . . . .

[eek]

That helps a lot!

Many many tnx

[tedkarma]

Bangkok. And get a place within 10 minutes walking distance to your course. You will be busy.

[eek]

Bangkok it is then!

I had figured to get a place close by even if it means spending more. I just know i wont want the hassle of working out how to get home after a long day. Plus i also figure ill be studying in the evenings too so really dont want that extra drain of public transport.

You guys have been great and thank so much for the speedy replies.

Im set on Bangkok, just have to figure out whether im best with the talk and text or the EEC CELTA. Im sure to figure it out based on Kents reply and links.

[haltes]

Bangkok is the best and most convenient,

Personally I think I would prefer International House as the course provider.

In any case good luck with the course!

[isanity]

FWIW, having done both the Text and Talk and the CELTA, I'd agree that the former is much easier, while the latter is more in-depth.

[brewsterbudgen]

[eek]

Thanks. I really am grateful for the amount of helpful and supportive replies.

----------

Quick question for Insanity if you have time. As you completed both courses would you recommend one more than the other initially? I have read on the websites what the courses intail but would prefer to hear a personal experience.

As i am new to teaching english (not new to teaching, although my classes were adult and childrens recreational art classes thus less formal) I wonder what would be the best route. I like that the CELTA seems to be well respected and focuses on issues such as grammar (which although i suppose is used on automatic pilot, i have never really stopped to consider it. My grasp of English Grammar prob leaves a lot to be desired). On the other hand i like that the Text and Talk is taylored to be more practical.

So if you are poss able to add some comments and/or pros and cons regarding your experience that would be great.

------

Questions buzzing through my head:

Should I do the Text and Talk in order to get a 'taste' of this kind of teaching, then if I decide to make more of a career out of it, take the CELTA later?

Could the Text and Talk course be less respected or be worth less pay?

Is the world really round?

Have I eaten dinner?

Why am I up so late?

[isanity]

Text and Talk is less respected by many people in the TEFL world; not, so far as I know, because people actively dislike it, but just because they've never heard of it (I've never yet had an interviewer who knew what it was, and most of my interviews have been in Thailand). They might still accept it as a generic TEFL certificate, but it doesn't have the positive reputation that the CELTA has among most recruiters. If you're planning on going on to do a diploma, most DELTA courses will only accept you if you have the CELTA. Doing more than one certificate is useful in terms of skills development, but in terms of gaining qualifications I would have done better to do the CELTA first and then be able to do the DELTA earlier. I wouldn't worry about the CELTA being too advanced- it isn't, it's an introductory course, and most of the people who take it have never taught anything before.

As for my own experiences, I'd preface it by saying that every CELTA course is different, and mine wasn't at ECC (it was outside Thailand). But there are some things about the CELTA which are universal and which I like. One is the trainer-trainee ratio (no more than 6 trainees per trainer). That means more personal support when preparing lessons. At TT, we had one trainer for a fairly large group (more than twelve). Another is that your lessons are observed by CELTA trainers, normally your own course trainers, so the feedback they give you is targeted towards the things that you need to improve on the course and takes into account what they've seen you do before. At TT, the observation was done by teachers, but not trainers, brought in from outside. (That also has an effect on the assessment- at TT, my trainer, who decided my grade, had never actually seen me teach). CELTA also includes six hours of observation of experienced teachers, while TT didn't have any.

Another thing I liked about my CELTA (I don't know if this is universal) was the organisation of the observed teaching: we started early (the second day) with short lessons, and worked up from 20 minute lessons to one hour lessons through the course. Having more, but shorter lessons meant more occasions on which to receive feedback. All the TT lessons were 50 minutes. At the CELTA we had one class for two weeks, then another class for two weeks, whereas at TT it was a different class every day. At the CELTA, we had to stay and observe the other trainees teach even when we weren't teaching- that's 30 hours of observation I didn't get on the TT course.

The CELTA wasn't actually very grammar focused- this will depend very much on the individual trainers, but mine put more emphasis on teaching vocabulary and pronunciation than on grammar. You certainly weren't expected to spend the month 'learning grammar', though you were expected to be able to research a grammar point which is going to come up in your lesson. If anything, the TT course spent more time on "this is how we form the past simple... this is how we form the past perfect" and so on.

So all other things being equal, I think that CELTA is much the better option. However (a big however), all other things might not be equal. You might get a small group at TT if they're underbooked; you might get a CELTA trainer who you just can't get on with. If possible, it would be a very good idea to meet the trainer you'd have on each course before deciding.

[eek]

That was a very informative post isanity.

CELTA is the one I will go for. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a trainer and group I gel with for I will need to book the course before I go.

Thank you all for aiding me in coming to a decision I feel happy with.

[cameron.mayo]

Chaing mai hands-down, no better town anywhere.